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Kenya: Election commissioner resigns, flees ahead of presidential poll

A senior official of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has resigned from her job a week before a repeat presidential election, saying the election body was under siege and could not hold a credible election. “The commission in its current state can surely not guarantee a credible election on 26 October 2017,” Roselyn Akombe, an IEBC commissioner, said …

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London’s Somerset House showcases contemporary African art

The 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair rolled into town at the historic Somerset House in London on 5-8 October. The exhibition now in its 5th year is now firmly rooted in the international arts calendar and is a fantastic platform for contemporary African art, reports Ade Omoloja from London. The 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair takes place at Somerset House …

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Cameroon: The long history of Anglophone discord

Since October 2016, protests and strikes related to sectoral demands have escalated into a crisis over the economic and political marginalisation of Cameroon’s Anglophone minority. The crisis reached a new low at the weekend of 30 September-1 October when at least 17 people were shot dead by security forces and 50 wounded, according to Amnesty International. Mbom Sixtus, freelance journalist …

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US changes application date for 2019 Diversity Visa Lottery

The United States Department of State will restart the registration period for the 2019 Diversity Visa Lottery after it was marred by technical issues. The new registration period opens for electronic entries on 18 October 2017 at 6 p.m. GMT, and closes on 22 November 2017 at 6 p.m. GMT. The official website of the US Department of State issued …

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Shock and revulsion over Mogadishu bombing

The bomb was as enormous as the flecks of torn skin smudging the ground are miniscule. Entire overcrowded buses were blown up, every passenger killed. No one in the vicinity was spared: shopkeepers at the side of the road selling khat; office managers; children fooling around or running errands for parents; a medical student about to graduate; mothers; fathers; sisters; …

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Liberia: George Weah, VP Boakai for run-off

It is not yet victory for former soccer star George Weah in the Liberian election as he would need to go for a run-off against incumbent Vice-President Joseph Boakai. Weah, who ran on the platform of the opposition CDC party, ended up with 39 per cent of the votes, 11 per cent less than the 50 per cent needed to …

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Lagos unveils statue in honour of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti

The Lagos State Government has unveiled a statue in memory of the late Afrobeat pioneer and human rights activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The event which took place on Sunday was to mark his posthumous 79th birthday and the 20th anniversary of his passage. The ‘Liberation Statue’ was formally unveiled by the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, in the presence of …

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The Relevance of Rosa Parks in Berlin

The wood-frame house that was once home to the civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks has been sitting as an art exhibit in a garden in the Wedding neighbourhood of Berlin since 2016. The symbol of the American civil rights era has attracted many visitors including Germany’s Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel. Clementine Ewokolo Burnley writes on the relevance of the house to …

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Morocco replaces Kenya as 2018 CHAN hosts

Morocco has replaced Kenya as hosts of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN), the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Sunday. The Emergency Committee of the body chaired by its president, Ahmad Ahmad, met on Saturday in Lagos, Nigeria, and unanimously decided to grant the organization of the fifth edition of the football competition to the Royal Moroccan Football …

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Interview: Kenya’s opposition leader speaks to German media organisation

The withdrawal of NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga from the upcoming election rerun raises major political and constitutional challenges for Kenya. The country has seen many opposition rallies against the electoral commission that threaten public peace and security leading to government banning demonstrations altogether in the centres of Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. It is currently unclear if there will be …

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